'Many cyclists would rather ride out on the open road than on cycleways because they get an easier path of travel. '

This I have noticed.

On top of this, it defies logic that a lane of traffic, that could support thousands of cars an hour, is turned into a Clover Moore 'Cycleway', which services about 3 cyclists an hour.

I'm not exaggerating, I have seen this in Sydeney.

If ever there was a victory of ideology over common sense this is it.

If ever there was proof that people just will not cycle to work, no matter how cyclists are accommodated, this is it.

Build it and they will come? Hahahahahah! Buuullllssshhhiiiitttt!

Petrol would have to be $5 a litre, and even then people would not cycle.

Why? Because most workplaces don't have showers, it rains, and people will do almost anything to avoid physical activity.

Even then, who is going to wake up another half an hour before work to take into account the shower at the end of the commute.

IT IS JUST NOT PRACTICAL.

Time is worth more than money.

For me to cycle, I would have to be able to get to work faster, not cheaper.

Oh, and I forgot to ask, how many hills are there in the Netherlands?

Houellebecq,

I cycled to work nearly everyday for 12 years, about ten K's each way on Brisbane's infamous Ipswich Hyway, which was then composed of rough-hewn sections of ill-fitted concrete slabs and hardly any crumbling verge. I'll never forget one day attempting to change into the right hand lane, I hooked in directly behind a truck as it passed, only to find it was pulling a dog and I was in between!
Nevertheless I agree with you. I was driven by ideology and I loved those rare days I drove to work listening to the comedy half-hour on Radio National with a hot cup of coffee nestled between my legs.
These days I don't cycle so much--though I still walk a lot and drive as little as possible--but when I do I have a different mind-set. I'm not in any hurry--and I remind myself it only takes a few extra minutes on the bike, even taking it easy, and parking's free--and it doesn't matter if there's a head-wind; I just go down the gears or get off and walk if I have too (though I haven't yet) and treat the bike as a mode of transportation. I think to myself, if there weren't cars this would be the only way to travel, and I glide along the road marvelling at how much quicker and easier this is to walking!
It's true we're lazy slobs by nature, but I've always found the hardest part of a journey on a bike on a miserable day is getting on! Then you just accept your fate, and if you've got any joie de voir you laugh at the elements and pity your workmates whole role up surly and soft.
The biggest obstacles to greater take-up of bikes, for me, remain attitude and peer pressure.

*The even bigger problem is cars in Oz are status symbols and extensions of egos.*

Oh come on, Squeers. In cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen,
living in apartments is the norm. Our cities are much more spread
out, with houses still the norm.

So it makes perfect sense to use bicycles there and cars here.
Apart from inner cities yuppies of course, who can afford the
inner city real estate prices.

You make a fair point Yabby, but I reckon ten K's is an average commute in the city, and it only takes about half an hour, taking it easy, on a bike. It's true few work places are set-up for it with end of journey facilities etc., but where there's a will..
Remember too that a lot of workers have to put in time at the gym to make up for being so sedentry; they could actually save time by cycling. All it takes is a new mind-set and a following.
Rural and semi-rural's another matter of course.

Keep on fighting the good fight! We need real bike ways. My poor Aussie children born to an ex Dutchie thought they were mightily hard done by that they were not driven to school and picked up from school by mummy darling. In fair weather and foul. (the Netherlands is not known for lovely sunny and balmy weather, so it didn't occur to me that a bit of rain was an impediment) Sometimes they thought they were hard done by until they realized that they actually had the skill and ability to make it to friend's houses and activities that many of their cosseted little friends didn't have without wheedling mummy darling to drive them here and there.
Oh, and by the way, my kids have no problems with obesity either. They got their physical exercise going to and coming from school. Later from Uni to their pad. No anxiety about plonking in front of the TV with a snack here. It is a cultural attitude. Not one of affluence, purely cultural.